Fire Boss, part of the Wipaire family of brands, announced a series of STC’d improvements to its air attack tanker.
According to the company, there have been several changes, including a redesign of the internal float compartments and a single-piece nose fork that decreases weight and improves maintenance efficiency, along with the STC for the True Blue Power TB60 lithium-ion aircraft battery.
In addition, the hydraulic pump has been relocated, which moves the aircraft center of gravity (CG) forward and reduces the weight. Company officials say that will make it easier to keep the aircraft inside the weight-and-balance envelope, which can be a challenge as its versatility creates multiple loading configurations.
In addition, the ballast has been changed from lead to steel, which Fire Boss notes is better for the environment as well as pilots and ground crews.
The floats are also lighter by 19 pounds, and a scoop lockout gate has been added to ensure the scoop cannot be deployed unless the gate is armed. Also, the access cover seals are now replaceable, eliminating the need for sealant.
“These changes are a pivotal step in our ongoing effort to improve our products and enhance mission-critical performance for operators,” said Jon Backes, vice president of marketing and sales at Wipaire.
Company officials said the improvements are also available as retrofits for existing aircraft.
The Fire Boss was created when an Air Tractor AT-802/AT-802A was equipped with Wipline scooping floats. The floats are designed to scoop up 800 gallons in 15 seconds. The Fire Boss is made in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, and used around the world.
